Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-29

some of the pages. 81 don't believe | do
care much for that sort of books, ~ she said
after a moment. Things don't happen like
that in real life One reads stranger things
in the newspapers. "
"Oh, yes, of course, The answered, EN-
barrassed. He sat down and there was n
little pause, II should think they might
get good real storcs-novelists. | mean, -
he presently went on, apparently thinking
it was incumbent on him to say something.
"Ive come across lot of queer things my
self "
The lady seemed amused at the evident
bashfulncss of this good-looking gentleman
and determined to make him talk. what
do you call queer things" She demanded.
"Oh. | don't know. Well, now. there
was that robbery of that bank in New York
five or six weeks ago. | know "A fellow
he's one of the drcctors-hc's told me "a
lot of funny things about that. And then
some of the things about the way the muni-
cipal government is carried on think
they're very queer But of course I'm not
in the way of knowing half as many things
rs Il great many other p,ople. But beg
your pardon-I didn't mean to take up
your time.
Not at all, It's n long time before we
get to Washington What robbery was that
YOU were speaking off,
"Oh, that was the bank down on Broad
way somcwherc--the Manhattan they call
it-somc fellows got in there and stole a
whole lot of stuff. Two or three millions.
my friend said. Don't you remember it,
YES suppose everybody remembers
that-it was such a little while ago. the
lady replied, in her Indifferent tone. They
had already entered the Philadelphia sta
ton, and the gentleman turned TO look out
of the window. His interlocutor improved
the opportunity to examine him carefully.
He was evidently IA club man, one of
those Americans who live on an income in
herited from a merchant progenitor, who
have been well brought up, whose broad
shoulders and strong hands are the result of
amateur athletics, and who pass through
life without any idea of its more serious
aims and experiences and with little occa-
sion to use whatever brains Pro ,idence may
have gifted them with. Assuredly. there
could be no possible harm in such a person
age.
When the train started again She resum-
ed the conversation.
That Manhattan robbery seems to be as
much of a mystery as almost all great bank
robberies have been, = She remarked The
police don't seem able to do anything. |
suppose they must have some secret under
standing with the thieves"
"Oh, do you think so,''
"Well, that is what good many people
say. Why, don't You think sou
"Well, you see. it isn't what | Think
mean, that's of no consequence and dare
say you're right. | was only going by
what my friend said.
He believes in the police, them
Nv hat he told me was that no arrests
had been made vet b cause they didn't want
it to begin until they had everything ready.
But they have been working quietly all the
while, and they know every one who had a
part III the robbery. and lust where to nut
their hands ON them. There's Il lot of queer
details about it that | don't remember: I've
got such an awfully bad memory: but |
remember thought it was very clever of
the police, and there didn't seem to be any
chance of the thieves escaping. Oh one of
the things he said was that the thieves
never would have got into tie bank if they
hadn't been helped by some of the banks
own people. There waS--I can't think of
his name, but that's no matter-well they
have been following him round ever since
the MISUNDERSTANDING they call it-und
they found ont that he waS-but I BEG
your pardon. Am | boring YOU
"No, indeed. 1t is very kind Of You to
talk to me- -
"Oh, I'm sure | like to- if you dom
mind But that wasn't the funniest part.
lou know, the thieves got complete plan
of the inside of the locli-one of those com
bination locks, you know and it wasn't the
employee that got that; it was somebody
else. This is an awfully funny part; you'd
never imagine who it waS,n
do tell me- said tine lady. languidlv.
well, it was a lady-that is, mean, she
holds the position of IA lady in New York,
and her husband is a good man: he made a
fortune in business, but his partner turned
out IA scamp, and-howevcr, that is not
what | was going to tell. This lady"
what is the ladys name? This is quite
interesting, you know
"Well, ! don't know as | ought to tell
her name. Shes in society, You know, and
of course, you or anybody might meet her.
you know, and"
Are you acquainted with her voulsef?'
II never met her, but | know of her.
She used to have a sort of salon before her
husbands business trouble. and is very in
tellectual, and cultured and all that. and
they say she's awfully handsome and at
tractiVc.N
"Well, what was it that She did,
"Why, somehow or other She rot ne
quainted with a man in town-not "A gentle
man, at all, but IA low sort of tradesman, u
diamond peddler named Grady beg your
pardon? The ear makes such IA noise that
didn't hear you"
Il didn't say anything. Please 20 on -
son, where was |? Oh, yes-Grady.
This Grady has shop right opposite the
bank with a room at the back, and the gang
of thieves that robbed the bank used to meet
there and consult about things, and Grady
is awfully rich, and he used to put up mon
ey to pay for getting ready the robbelies
that the gang committed and sometimes he
would keep the bonds and things that they
stole until they could sell them And this
lady-or person-used to go there, too. but
it was always arranged so that she should
not be seen by any of the others-by the
thieves, | mean, and none of them ever saw
her, though they knew that Grady had
some one familiar with the inside of the
bank to help them. Oh, | forgot to tell Won